Thrust-bearing.



A. KINGSBURY.

THRUST BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY A. KINGSBURY.

THRUST BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIE), 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVELJTOR l ATTORNEY WITNESSES A. KINGSBURY.

THRUST BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1912.

INVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

WITNESSES 'rns ALBERT KINGSBURY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

THRUSTsBEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented July 7, 1914..

Application filed July 19, 1912. Serial No. 710,496.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALnnn'r KINosnUnY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Thrust-Bearof lubricating fluid between thecooperating bearing surfaces.

One ob ect of my invention is to provlde, in a bearing of the classabove indicated,

simple and effective means for supporting the bearing shoes wherebydeflection or distortion of the bearing surfacesis avoided and the costfor repairs and renewals materially reduced.

Other objects will be set forth hereinafter.

In Patent No. 947,242, granted January 25, 1910, on an application filedby me on May 20, 1907, I have shown and described a thrust bearin whichoperates successfully at relatively igh speeds and under very highpressures. WVhen a bearing of this character is at rest, the bearingsurfaces of the shoes are in engagement with the surface of acooperating bearing member, but when the bearing is in service and, oneof the parts is rotating, the shoes assume slightly tilted positions, byreason of the Wedging action of the oil or other lubricating fluid inwhich the bearing surfaces are immersed. The shoes are pivotallysupported in order to permit them to tilt. If the pivotal supportingsurfaces are made of large area in order to distribute the support andthus minimize the elastic deflection of the shoes, there is ordinarilyconsiderable friction between them and the shoes do not tilt readilywhen the movable member of the bearing is put into motion. ()n the otherhand if the pivotal mounting is made of small area to permit the shoe totilt readily, the bearing surfaces of the shoe are liable to becomedistorted, because of the relatively high prossures to which they aresubjected.

According to my present invention, l interpose a supportin memberbetween each shoe and its supporting pivot, which is provided with asuitable projection or projections on which the shoe is mounted. Theprojections on which the shoe is supported are so arranged anddistributed as to minimize the deflection of the shoe, and theintermediate supporting member may become materially distorted withoutpermitting the deflection or in any way affecting the action of theshoe. In addition to the foregoing, I provide, in thepreferredarrangement of my invention, independent adjusting means for determiningthe positions of the several shoes.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a partial plan View, withcertain of the parts broken away to disclose the bearing shoes and theirsupports, of a thrust bearing structure embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a sectional elevation, on the line IIII of Fig. 1, Figs. 3.and4 areviews corresponding to F igsi' 1 and 2 of a modified bearing structureembodying my invention. Fig. 5 is a partially sectional elevation, andFig. 6 is a plan view, with certain of the ;parts removed, of anothermodification of my invention.

Referring to Figs 1 and 2 of the drawings, a shaft or spindle 1, havingan enlargement or flange 2, is supported by a thrust bearing structurecomprising a ring 3, which forms a part of the enlargement 2 and has ahearing surface 4, radial bearing shoes 5, a stationary base 6, asupporting ring 7 pivotally mounted thereon and interposed carriers 8 onwhich the shoes 5 are mounted. The ring 3 is preferably made in twoparts so that it may be easily removed and replaced, the relativepositions of the parts being maintained by clamping screws 9 and 10. Thesupporting ring 7 is also preferably divided to facilitate assemblingthe device, the parts being secured together by bolts 11. The supportingring 7 is provided with a convex spherically curved surface 12 whichrests upon a correspondingly curved concave surface 13 of the base (3.The supporting ring is notched to provide pockets 14 which correspond innumber and location to the shoes 5. The upper surface of the ring 7 isprovided with a series of recesses 10 into which the carriers 8' areloosely fitted. The recesses are opposite the pockets 14 and screws 15extend from the pockets through tapped holes in the ring 7 into therecesses 16. The carriers 8 are supported by the screws 15 and areprovided with concave spherically curved recesses 17 which engagecorrespondingly curved ends of the screws. The bottom surface of each ofthe shoes is provided with an annular slot 18 which engages acorresponding projection 19 from the upper surface of the carrier uponwhich it is mounted, the arrangement of parts being such that thebottomsurface of the shoe only engages the carrier beyond the annularprojection 19. this means the tendency above referred to for the shoe tobecome distorted when the bearing is called upon to sustain very highpressures is avoided.

By reason of the engagement of the projection 19 with the groove 18 ofthe shoe, the two parts not substantially as if they were integral partsof the same shoe, except that the carriers may become considerablydistorted'without permitting any distortion of the bearing surfaces ofthe shoes. The recesses 16 are sufliciently large to permit considerablefreedom of movement of the carriers and the shoes which they support,but, at the same time, the carriers conform to the recesses sufficientlyto prevent them from rotating about their vertical axes. The inner wallsof the recesses 16 extend above the ca1- riers-S and close to the inneredges of the shoes so that they are thus prevented from rotatingrelative to the carriers. The ring is provided with a plurality ofprojections 20 which are opposite the pockets 14 and are -each providedwith a plurality of holes 21, the center lines of whichlie in an arc ofa circle transcribed about the vertical axis of the supporting boltwhich is located in the same notch. The head of each of the screws isprovided with a locking wrench 22 3" having tapped holes 23. A. bolt 24-extends through one of the holes 21 in each of the projectionsand'engages one of the tapped holes in the wrench in order to support itand prevent the screw from rotating after it has been adjusted. The ring7 may be a part of the base 6 instead of pivotally supported upon it,but I prefer to utilize the arrangement illustrated.

In operation, the load may be uniformly distributed upon the severalshoes by suitably adjusting the supporting screw 15, but, at the sametime, the pivotal mounting between the supporting ring 7 and the base (iis desirable in order to maintain a uniform pressure if the shoes wear,or if the shaft or spindle 1 falls out of alincinent.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4c of the drawings, in whi v,h correspondingparts are referred to byjthe' same reference characters, a

supporting ring 25, supporting blocks 26,

nioaave bearing shoes 27 and wedges 28 are substisurfaces beingseriously distorted, is avoided.

At the same time, there is no possibility of improper lateral adjustmentbetween the shoes and their supporting blocks, since the blocks are setin the recesses 29. The ring 25 is notched to provide a plurality ofradial pockets 31 which correspond in number and location to theshoes27, a groove 32 being provided in the bottom of each pocket to receiveone of the wedges 28. A hardened steel button or plug 34: is seated ineach of the pockets 31 on the wedge located therein, the pocket beingnotched at 33 on each side of the groove 32 to receive the button orplug and to guide its up and down movement when the wedge is adjusted.The top surface of each of the buttons or plugs 34 is spherically curvedand engages the plane bottom surface of the supporting block 26 which ismounted directly upon it. The ring 25 is preferably provided with aspherically curved bottom surface 35 corresponding to the surface 12 ofthe ring 7 which engages a correspondingly curved concave surface of thebase 6 on which itis mounted. Between the pockets 31, the ring 25 isnotched at its top outer edge to provide a segmental annular shoulder 36in which is an annular slot 37. A continuous retaining ring 33 which mayof course be made in sections, is

,set in the groove 37 and is bolted to the ring between. the pockets.The width of the ring 38 is suflicient to hold the shoes 27 in positionand prevent their becoming misplaced by moving radially outward, withoutinterfering with pivotal movements for which pro vision is made by thespherically curved supporting surface of the buttons or plugs 34. Thewedges 28 are each provided with a projection 39 which extends above andto ,one side of the tapered body of the wedge. A bolt 4-0 tat-endsthrough a suitable hole in the projection 39 and is screwed into thering 25 in a radial direction whereby the position of the wedge may bedetermined by the setting of the bolt.

The operation of the bearing is similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2, exceptthat the height of the shoes is indc' icndontly adjusted by means of thewedges 28 instead of by the screws 15. Radial holes 47 are provided inthe ring 25 in order to permit oil or other lubricating fluid tocirculate inwardly through the ring, upwardly adjacent to a flangeprojection 48 thereof and outwardly between the bearing surfaces.

Referrlng to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, in which like parts areindicated by the same reference characters, a supporting ring 41 is heresubstituted for the ring 7 and is provided with a plurality of hardenedsteel blocks 42 on which shoes 43 which are substituted ,for the shoes 5of Fig. 1, are mounted, individual supporting members 44, beinginterposed between the shoes and the hardened blocks. The members 44 areprovided with spherical projections 45 which are seated on the hardenedsteel blocks and with a series of upwardly extending projections or pads46 on which the shoes 43 rest. The pads or projections 46 are so placedas to avoid the possibility of the shoes becoming greatly deflectedunder heavy pressures, while, at the same time,

the spherical projections resting on the steel blocks, enable the shoeand the members 44, which act together as a unitary structure, to tiltand assume the most effective position in service. deflected somewhat,it will not in any way affect the action of the hearing or distort theshoes 43.

In the structures illustrated and particularly in that of Figs. 5 and 6,the members which constitute the shoes are very simple and may be easilyreplaced if they become worn.

Structural variations may be effected within the spirit and scope of myinvention, and I desire that only such limitations be imposed as areindicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A thrust bearing comprising a movable member having a bearingsurface, a plurality of relatively stationary bearing shoes cooperatingtherewith, a supporting member therefor, and an interposed carrier foreach shoe tiltingly mounted on the supporting member and arranged toprevent the distortion of the shoe.

A thrust bearing comprising a plurality of contact shoes, a relativelystationary base and an interposed supporting block for each shoetiltingly mounted on the base.

8. A thrust bearing comprising a pluralit y of bearing shoes, arelatively stationary base and an interposed carrier for each shoetiltingly mounted on the base and arranged to support the shoe at adistance from its ivotal axis.

4-. A bearing comprising a relatively rotatable bearing ring, a.relatively stationary base, a plurality of radial shoes engaging thering and an independently adjustable means between the base and each ofthe hoes, tiltingly supported on the base.

If the members 44 become 5. A hearing comprising a relatively rotatablemember having a plane bearing surface, a relatively statlonary base, asupporting ring pivotally mounted on the base,

'ently adjustable toward and away from the bearing surface of therotatable member.

6. A thrust bearing comprising a relatively rotatable member having abearing surface, a plurality of relatively stationary tiltinglysupported radial bearing shoes and rigid means for independentlyadjusting the shoes toward and away from the hearing surface of therotatable member.

7. A bearing comprising a plurality of radial shoes each having a recesson the opposite side from its bearing surface, a carrier located in therecess, and independently adjustable means on which the carrier istiltingly mounted.

8. A bearing comprising a plurality of radial shoes each having a recesson the opposite side from its bearing surface, a carrier located in therecess, and having a supporting surface near the walls of the recess,supporting means for the carrier having a convex spherical surface onwhich the carrier is mounted, and a wedge which is'adapted to beadjusted to vary the position of the carrier and the shoe.

9. A thrust bearing comprising a relatively stationary annular basehaving a concave. spherically curved annular surface, a shaft extendingtherethrough having a flange or enlargement, a plurality of radialbearing shoes cooperating with the annular member, independent carriersfor the several shoes, each having an annular projec tion on which oneof the shoes rests and means for maintaining a fixed relation betweeneach shoe and its support, an interposed ring, between the annular baseand the carriers, and adjustable means for independently and pivotallysupporting the carriers.

10. A thrust bearing comprising a relatively stationary base having aconcave, spherically curved surface, a shaft having an annular bearingmember, a plurality of radial bearing shoes cooperating with the bearingmember of the shaft, a supporting ring pivotally seated on the base andhaving a plurality of independently adjustable projections and aplurality of carriers tiltingly mounted on the rejections and havingupwardly extending projections for supporting the shoes at a materialdistance from their centers.

11. A thrust lniaring comprising a relatively stationary annular basehaving a concave spherically curved annular surface. a shaft extendingtherethrough having a Leg 1,102,27e

flange or enlargement and a bearing ring subscribed my name this 8th dayof July secured thereto, a plurality of radial bear- 1912.

ing shoes cooperating with the gearing rin and independently adjustabletll'tingly suizl ALBERT KINGSBURY ported carriers for the shoes mountedon the Witnesses:

base. R. J. DEARBORN,

In testimony whereof, 1 have hereunto B. B. HINES.

